EU Commissioner: European independence requires an electrification revolution

From the reader. Can we honestly say that Europe is a free and independent continent?

Yes, in the sense that freedom is enshrined in the founding declarations, constitutions and treaties of the EU and EU countries.

However, our energy bills tell a different story. The events that took place on the narrow waterway thousands of kilometers away have also been felt in the wallets of Europeans.

Europe cannot be truly independent without energy self-sufficiency.

More electricity

The first sparks of the electrification revolution have already ignited in different parts of Europe.

During the first three months of the year, more than 500,000 electric cars were registered in the EU.

In the same period, a total of more than 400,000 heat pumps were sold to households in France, Germany and Poland alone.

Europeans have chosen electricity, and it’s not hard to see why.

I recently visited Finland. Statistics show that the cost of driving an electric vehicle there is 2.60 euros per hundred kilometers – while a gasoline car costs 9.20 euros!

According to the Concito think tank, European households can save 1,700–3,000 euros per year by introducing electric vehicles and heat pumps.

Europeans know how to read signs. They are not only ready to transition to clean energy – they are also ready to lead the transition.

There is only one question left: how to get the governments of the EU countries involved?

First, we need to generate more electricity in our own continent with our own resources.

We need to build more wind farms and install more solar panels. Countries that choose nuclear energy must develop next-generation power plants and technologies.

With these means, economies can get away from the import of expensive fossil fuels and can continue with the power of clean and affordable energy produced in the Union.

Second, we need to facilitate the transmission of electricity across the continent.

This means better power lines and cables, stronger cross-border connections and battery plants that allow electricity to be stored and transferred flexibly.

All this requires investment. However, the necessary contributions are sensible investments and generate savings.

By 2040, 1.2 trillion euros must be invested in electricity transmission and distribution networks. In the same time frame, every euro invested in the electricity network produces savings of more than 2 euros in system costs.

If all of Europe cooperates by investing together and planning strategically, the costs will decrease and the benefits will multiply.

We also need to support those parts of the economy and society where electrification has not reached the desired pace. This means especially industry, transport and buildings.

A new era

Solutions already exist: industrial electric ovens, electric cars and charging stations along the streets, as well as smart meters, solar panels and heat pumps for homes.

As we electrify Europe, we must ensure that no one is left behind.

For example, Austria helps its vulnerable residents to replace heating boilers that use fossil fuels with clean alternatives.

France, on the other hand, has introduced a social leasing rental program, which allows low-income households to rent a new electric vehicle at a reasonable price.

The Commission will soon present a plan for the electrification of Europe, which will include both guidelines and practical measures to help us get closer to our goal of making Europe the world’s first electrified continent.

The goal is ambitious, but its implementation is necessary.

By utilizing the energy produced in the Union and speeding up electrification, Europeans can move into a new era of freedom, which will benefit homes and factories as well as workers and entrepreneurs.

It is time to work together so that Europe can secure its independence and lead the electrification revolution.